Since tearing his ACL this week, Nerlens Noel has been mum about his future, whether he’ll return to Kentucky for his sophomore season or enter the 2013 NBA Draft.

Before the injury, Noel was projected to be the No. 1-overall pick in the ’13 draft. Now? He’s expected to slide a bit but certainly not out of the lottery. Who knows for sure.

Nerlens Noel may have played his last college game. (AP Photo)

His older brother, Rodman Noel, told CBS Sports this week that he still expects Nerlens to go to the NBA, even if he has to use crutches to walk across the stage to shake commissioner David Stern’s hand.

"I'd be surprised if he comes back," Rodman, a starting linebacker at N.C. State, told CBS on Wednesday. "Right now, people still say he'll be a top-five pick. It would only be smart to take it while you can."

Nerlens Noel, a 6-10 freshman from Everett, Mass., is a raw offensive player but a dominating defensive presence in the lane. He was averaging 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and a nation-leading 4.4 blocks per game.

In addition to the ACL tear, Rodman also said Nerlens sustained a minor tear to his meniscus. UK officials say he will have surgery to repair the knee within the next 2-3 weeks, after all the swelling subsides. He then is expected to face a six- to eight-month rehab process.

“He'll have the right mindset going into the surgery and the rehab. He can handle it," Rodman told CBS. "What devastated him more than anything else was not being able to finish out the season. Especially being his first year of college. He really wanted to play in the NCAA Tournament.”